This invention relates to the field of borehole telemetry, especially mud pulse telemetry wherein data relating to borehole parameters is gathered by sensing instruments located downhole in the drill string and is transmitted to the surface via pressure pulses created in the drilling mud. More particularly, this invention relates to a flexible electrical connector for transmitting electrical power from a generator in the drill string to the sensor elements and from the sensor elements to the mud pulse valve for operation of the mud pulse valve.
The basic concept of mud pulse telemetry for transmitting borehole data from the bottom of a well to the surface has been known for some time. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,021,774, 4,013,945 and 3,982,431, all of which are owned by the assignee of the present invention, show various aspects of a mud pulse telemetry system which has been under development by the assignee hereof for several years. Particular attention has been devoted to the development of an electrical connector for the borehole telemetry system. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,737,843 and 3,756,076 shown but only in very general terms, electrical connections between the electric generator and the sensor package and between the sensor package and the mud pulse valve actuator. However, during the course of development of the mud pulse telemetry system, a number of problems were encountered with the electrical connections. The electrical connections were subjected to wear as a result of abrasion from the drilling mud, they were susceptible to mud leakage which would contaminate electrical contacts, and they were susceptible to breaking as the result of movement between components such as the transmitter assembly and the sensor package which must be free to accomodate at least some degree of relative movement.